News headlines for December 11th 2002

(Guam)–Topping the news, the Pacific island of Guam is still reeling after being hit head-on by a devastating supertyphoon this weekend. With sustained winds of up to 150 miles an hour, Trans World Radio’s[1] equipment collapsed under the storm’s battering. TWR’s Rich Greene. “Three of our five antennae curtains, which operate short wave to Asia were completely shredded. [And], we are now off the air trying to repair the other two antennas in order to, Lord willing, be, in a limited way, back on the air broadcasting the good news of Christ by Wednesday or Thursday.” Greene says the two surviving antennas provide service for China, and Southeast Asia. “We need prayer that the Lord would enable our staff, all of whom are safe, to [be able to] give them the strength to weather this devastating time.” Pray too for the listeners whose daily “ray of hope” will be temporarily extinguished in many places. [2]

(India)–We turn our attention next to India where, despite harsh penalties, people are coming to Christ. Dr. Samuel Thomas is with Christ For India, a Bible Pathways[3] affiliate. Dr. Thomas has devoted his life to evangelizing the lowest Hindu caste known as the “Dalits”. He says under the country’s religion laws, new converts face brutal penalties for accepting the Gospel. “The restriction is that whoever baptizes spends four years in prison. And then, whoever receives the baptism, that is the Dalit that receives the baptism, he will have to come up with 22-hundred dollar fine and spend 200 years in jail.” Despite those severe consequences, many are still turning to Christ. Thomas urges prayer for those new believers. “Pray for the safety of our pastors, pray for wisdom for Christians all over India that none of them may be afraid by seeing this mass conversion but on the other side be encouraged and even be willing to die for the sake of the Gospel.”

(Congo-Kinshasa)–An urgent request for clothing assistance comes from war-survivors in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Evangelical Free Church Mission[4] is now sending clothes, not money. That’s due in part, because clothing is not available for purchase in the northwestern part of Congo, nor is there currency available. EFCM says many Congolese are forced to live in the jungle away from larger towns out of embarrassment. EFCM hopes to show the love of Christ by providing for their physical needs.

(USA)–Next, the ‘Boomer’ generation continues to influence the generations before and after. They are also the moving force of the Finisher’s Project[5] . The Project’s Nelson Malwitz says for those in ‘middlescence’, there’s a whole new experience ahead. “At 50, we have a whole other adult life to go; we’re only halfway through our adult years and we have an opportunity to do what the Lord asked, and that is, to make disciples in all nations with our skills talents, and abilities that we’ve had in our earlier years.” Yet, Malwitz says there’s a breakdown in communication between the mission field to the church, and that’s where the Finisher Project comes in. “In that gap, we’re able to reach into America’s pews. We present this: here, people have an option to offer their bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord in serving in some way-long-term, short-term, home and abroad. People of all ages are needed. Jesus didn’t say, ‘Go and make disciples of all nations if you’re under 35.'”

(International)–And, more Christians are being hired in countries that normally restrict the Gospel because of the government’s desire for business investment. Evangelistic Commerce[6] says several opportunities for Christian business people to use their skills and talents for missions are developing around the world. Evangelistic Commerce assists business startups in restricted access countries, resulting in many come to Christ because of their Christian co-workers.

[1] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=TWR [2]

http://www.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/ramhurl?f=/mnn/interviews/12-11-02richgreen .rm [3] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=BPM [4] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=EFCM [5] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=FNP [6] http://www.gospelcom.net/mnn/media/group.php?agencyAb=EVC ———————————————————————